Memphis, TN vs Denver, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO spends 52% more per resident than Memphis, TN: $33,582 against $22,111. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Memphis, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 51/100 (grade C) for Denver, CO — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Memphis, TN carries the lighter load at $303 per resident versus $5,126 for Denver, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Memphis, TN at $1,397 per resident and in Denver, CO at $3,319.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Memphis, TN and 37% in Denver, CO.
Summary
Denver spends 34.2% more per capita than Memphis ($11,471/person difference). Memphis, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $496 | $2,070 |
| Income Tax | $1,218 | $236 |
| Intergovernmental | $34,065 | $44,661 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,077 | $5,207 |
| Other | $3,994 | $10,100 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $2,455 |
| Fire Protection | $469 | $1,668 |
| Highways & Roads | $277 | $475 |
| Education | $0 | $821 |
| Public Welfare | $630 | $764 |
| Health | $391 | $693 |
| Hospitals | $1,677 | $2,855 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,397 | $3,319 |
| Housing | $4,683 | $3,565 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $293 |
| Utilities | $2,578 | $4,292 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,158 | $7 |
| General Admin | $0 | $364 |
| Other | $8,850 | $12,011 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.